Attorney General Harris Settles With Walmart, Retailer Agrees to
Pay $2.1 Million for Overcharging Customers

By a MetNews
Staff Writer

Attorney General
Kamala D. Harris said yesterday that Walmart has agreed to pay $2.1 million for
overcharging consumers in violation of a 2008 judgment against the retail
chain.

The company
was required by that judgment to to resolve errors in pricing at checkout
stands, the attorney general explained, but did not fully comply, leading to
the settlement announced yesterday.

“Consumers
should feel confident that the price on the shelf will be the same price they
are charged at the cash register,” the attorney general said in a statement.
“Californians who shop at Walmart should know that they have the right to ask
for the appropriate discount.”

In December
2005, the Attorney General’s office and the San Diego District Attorney’s
office investigated allegations that Walmart stores in California were scanning
items at a higher price than the prices advertised on store shelves and signs.
Through random price-checking, county Departments of Weights and Measures
across the state found that 164 Walmart stores in 30 counties had made scanning
errors.

According to the
terms of the 2008 judgment, consumers who were overcharged at the cash register
should have immediately received $3 off the lowest advertised price of the
item. If the price was less than $3, the item was to be given to the consumer
for free.

Starting in
November 2010, departments of Weights and Measures in 11 counties conducted
investigations to monitor Walmart’s compliance and found continued errors in
pricing at Walmart checkout stands, the attorney general said. Harris joined
San Diego District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis and San Diego City Attorney Jan
I. Goldsmith yesterday in filing a stipulated modified judgment with the San
Diego Superior Court resolving Walmart’s failure to comply with the
requirements of the 2008 judgment.

The $3 off
program was originally scheduled to end in November 2012, but with yesterday’s
action has been extended to November 2013. Walmart will also be required to put
new, large signs describing the policy, in both English and Spanish, at each of
the approximately 3,000 checkout stands at its 180 stores and super centers in
California.

Walmart has also
agreed to designate a person at every Walmart store in California to ensure
pricing accuracy. Any price discrepancy must be reported within three hours to
Walmart’s corporate headquarters, which receives and maintains price audit
information, consumer complaints and inspection reports for all California
Walmart stores.

The $2.1 million
in penalties and costs will be divided among the counties that conducted the
investigations, the California Department of Measurement Standards, the
Attorney General’s office, the San Diego District Attorney’s office and the San
Diego City Attorney’s office.

Walmart
commented on the settlement in a brief statement:

“Walmart is
committed to delivering everyday low prices on products our customers need for
their home and family. We always strive for 100% pricing accuracy and will
continue to make improvements to ensure we meet this goal. California families
can trust Walmart to deliver on our mission to help them save money and live
better.”